The few and the brave longtime Colorado State men’s basketball followers will recall Buzz Williams, the recruiting dynamo of an assistant, who brought a pipeline of Texas talent to Fort Collins.

Not coincidentally, much of that Texas talent moved on, after Williams started climbing the coaching ladder.

First, he helped Billy Gillispie turn Texas A&M from a Big 12 doormat to an NCAA contender. He took a head coaching job at New Orleans, made it an instant Sun Belt competitor. After a year he bolted to Marquette citing post-Katrina facility issues.

Turns out, Williams can recruit more than Texas. Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony standout Tyshawn Taylor told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the only way he wouldn’t withdraw his request for a scholarship release is if Williams succeeds new Indiana coach Tom Crean at the Big East school.

Williams’ voice mail box was naturally full Wednesday morning. So a text exchange followed. He said he’ll go to Indiana if he doesn’t get the top job at Marquette and meanwhile “pray 4my wife + kids” facing the prospect of another yet another move.
Just a week ago, his name was linked as an outside shot for the TCU job. While he was still at New Orleans, Williams was very interested in last spring’s CSU vacancy. ….

Former CSU turned Liberty coaches Dale Layer and Ritchie McKay, have a letter-of-intent from Seth Curry a 6-0 guard who is the younger brother of NCAA Tournament sensation Stephen Curry of Davidson.

…..
Looks like CSU isn’t the only college in the area firing coaches. The difference between Pam Tanner’s release at Denver and Jen Warden’s dismissal last week in Fort Collins? Tanner, like Layer a year ago, showed nothing but class with a prepared statement praising the institution and wishing the school well.

Warden, who gets paid for five years for just five regular season conference wins in three seasons (one fewer than Tanner had this past season) made herself unavailable for comment, and when she inadvertently answered a call offered “no comment” to a variety of questions.

Oh yes, the message on Warden’s cell phone is “I can’t wait to talk to you.”